Tuesday, December 11, 2012

In nineteen minutes, you can mow the lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game. But everything can change in an instant.

For me, it happened on September 27, 1995 at 12:47 p.m. The doctor and nurses worked diligently around me as my husband held my hand and resisted the urge to look around the curtain.

We were both anxious and impatient as the hands on the clock ticked past. Panic started to set in as five minutes turned to ten then to fifteen. "What's taking them so long? I thought they said it was only going to take a few minutes?"

My husband smiled down at me and squeezed my shaking hand. "It won't be long," he said and kissed my forehead.

Then the words that changed everything in an instant: "It's a girl!"﻿

** This story was written in response to a prompt from http://writingofanovel.blogspot.ca/2011/08/about-writing-prompt-and-share.html**

Saturday, June 30, 2012

TJ Davis, who had been named after Thomas Jefferson, set the tall thick white candles around the tables for the presidential dinner in the designated pattern. He and the other servers finished setting the tables then retreated to the kitchen to help prepare the appetizer trays for the guests.“Who brought in these candles? They are not the ones we usually use,” the caterer demanded.TJ smiled. “They have a slower burning wick so they will last the whole dinner,” he said.“We’ll let it go this time,” the boss said. “Next time get approval from me first.”“Yesm Sir,” he replied then went back to filling trays.“Places everyone! TJ and Ben, light the candles please,” the boss announced several minutes later. “The president will be arriving in twenty minutes. Move, move!”There was chaos in the kitchen as everyone quickly made their way to the dining room and moved into position. The two men ran from table to table to light the candles. When they finished they moved to the side to take up their position as bus boys.The main doors opened and guests, who had been milling around the outer room, entered and found their seats. When everyone was in place the official announcer for the White House stood by the doors. “Please stand,” he said then when everyone was standing, “I present President Douglas Wilkens and First Lady Maria Moore-Wilkens.”The guests clapped as the president and his wife stepped into the room and made their way to the presidential table. “Thank you all for coming,” President Wilkens said. “Please be seated and enjoy your dinner.”The servers quickly brought out the trays of appetizers as the bus boys watched, waiting for people to be finished so they could remove the plates or to refill water and wine glasses. TJ glanced at his watch then went to find his boss.“Excuse me Sir,” he said. “I am not feeling well. My stomach is queasy and I feel that I might vomit.”“Don’t bother coming back,” the boss said. “You will get your last check in the mail.”“As you wish,” TJ replied then hurried out of the building.He was two blocks away when the White House exploded. People all around him stopped then ran in the direction of the flames. Fire trucks zoomed past him and he kept walking towards the Masonic Temple.All the TVs were on different channels as they watched the president arriving at the White House for the dinner then scenes of the fire following the explosions. All reports declared there were no survivors as discussion began on who was in attendance at the dinner and who would be assuming the position of president.Soon reports of other leaders dying in explosions around the world replaced the reports about the president’s untimely death. Speculation over who was the mastermind for all these deaths was rampant and preliminary investigations traced the bombs to the candles though all traceable evidence of who planted them had melted away.A cheer went up as George Connors, Secretary of the Treasury, stood up. “I will soon be called and told that I am to be sworn in as the President of the United States. Around the world, our Templar brethren will also be sworn in as the leaders of their countries. “Today we usher in a New World Order. We will unite the world as it has never been before. A special thank you needs to go out to the brethren like TJ, who put their lives on the line to make this happen. Your hard work and dedication will not be forgotten. In fact, each and every one of you will be given a place in the new administration to help further our goals and those of our friends across the universe.”A hush fell upon the room when Connors’ cell phone rang. “Yes, I will come right away,” he said. When he hung up the phone he stood before the group of men again. “I have been called to fulfill my duty. This is a wonderful day for our organization, the world and the universe. Remember always you are among the chosen ones and your duties as a Templar.”A cheer went up as he left to go to the Pentagon, which would serve as a makeshift White House until a new one could be built. Then everyone crowded around TJ to congratulate him and thank him for his contribution. He smiled as he shook their hands. The stepping stones were falling into place for him and his quest for world domination.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

She was tucking the baby in when she saw his face at the
window. Every night it was the same. He would stare at the crib, his gaze never
straying.

Mary stood next to the bed, guarding her baby, and pressed
the silent alarm without taking her eyes off him. In less than five minutes,
police sirens could be heard in the distance. As they got closer, the man
disappeared from the window.

The door bell rang. Mary scooped up the baby and hurried to
the door. She pulled it up and the man was standing there.

He held out his arms and her baby flew to him. Abby reached
out to try to take her baby back as the man said, "At last."

With a wave of his hand she was frozen in place then he
disappeared in a flash of light. When the police arrived she came out of her
trance and dropped to the floor.

"He got my baby. He ... he just came in, and took him.
Please ... please find my baby! Find my baby boy!" Mary said hysterically.
The police fanned out to search for the baby. After several hours of looking
they called it off and said they would resume in the morning. After weeks of searching
it was called off and he was never found.

* * * * *

Mary was sitting in the rocking chair, watching the window.
It was the 63th anniversary of her son's disappearance. She was about to head
to bed after covering the doll in the crib when she saw a face in the window.

The window opened and the man climbed inside.

"What ... what do you want? Don't take my baby!"
she screamed as she reached for the silent alarm and scooped up the doll.

"It is time to go," he said.

"Get away from my baby! Help! Somebody! Help!"

The man reached out and waved his hand towards her. She fell
quiet as she stared into his eyes.

"Its time to go," he said softly. “Please come
with me.”

He reached out for her hand as he pulled his scythe out with
his other hand.

“No … I’m not ready,” she pleaded. “I need to find my baby.”

“Take my hand and I will take you to him,” he whispered.

“Where … where is he?” she asked.

He answered by holding out his hand again. She was
transfixed as she put her hand in his.

The man raised the scythe and her mind was filled with the
image of her baby as he grew up, tears running down her face. When they reached
the teen years she realized he was her son. Her soul soared and grew warm,
warming him, too. Then she pulled away as the Grim Reaper took his life on his
18th birthday.

“No! My baby!” she wept.

“It’s okay Mom. It was meant to be,” he replied then wrapped
his around her. He drained her life force and breathed it into his body. Her
lifeless human form fell to the floor then he breathed out and her spirit
floated next to him.